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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. H. HOLDRIDGE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Oct. 18, 1887. zzy!) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. H. HOLDRIDGE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Oct. 18,- 1887.

lmibneawo N PETERS. Fhmo-Lilhogrnpher. Washington D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORRY BUSTED HOLDRIDGE, OF PORT LEYDEN, NE? YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,585, dated October 18, 1887.

Application filed July 7, 1887. Serial No. 243,628. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORRY HUsTEn HoL- DRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Port Leyden, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fire-escape. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of my improvement. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation.

A indicates the side pieces forming the body of my improvement-,which may be constructed of wood, metal, or any other suitable mate rial, and substantially of the form shown. A recess, A, is formed in oneside of each of said sides A, which, when united,form an opening through the said parts, as shown. In one side of the opening formed between said sides a stationary circular block, 0, is mounted upon asquare block or support, 0, and in the op posite side thereof two pulleys, D D, are mounted upon suitable shafts, (1, having bearing in the said sides A. .The rear portions of said sides are provided with hingeeyes and hooks a a by means of which the said parts may be opened for purposes which will be more fully hereinafter described.

To the outer lower portion of each of the sides A a bracket-arm, E, is secured, in which the upper end of a depending lever, F,ispivoted by means of the pivotpin f, passing through the two sides of the bracket arm and the said levers. The lower portion of one of the sides A terminates in a handle, 13, which is grasped by the person using the escape while descending. In thelower portion of the sides A, passing therethrough, an aperture, to, is formed, through which a rope, B, may be passed, having a seat, S, secured to the lower ends thereof, which may be occupied by the person escaping, if desired. Through thelever F and the handle B openings f and b are formed, which are engaged by a thumbscrew, H. Upon the edge of the arm B a nut,

O, is mounted and retained in position by an apertured block, T, which is secured to the said arm B by screws N.

A rope, R, is passed through the opening A between the sides A, and engages with the under side of the upper pulley, D, thence around the stationary circular block 0, and drawn over the lower pulley D out through the open edge of said sides A. The rope R then passes down through the bracket-arm E, and between the arm B and the lever F, and to any distance below, which will be regulated at will.

The upper end of the lever F is formed with an enlargement, F, which serves to clamp the rope against the edge of the body adjacent thereto and to further steady the descent of the person escaping. Screw-eyes f and b" are secured in the lower ends of the lever F and handle B, respectively, through which the said rope R is passed, as shown. To secure the rope R to the window or other projection previous to descent a hook, M, is secured to the upper end thereof, which forms a ready attachment.

To the top portion of the body formed by the sides A a ring or screw-eye, a is secured, to which a rope, Rfimay be attached for drawing the device back to its starting-point, if convenient and accessible to any other part of the building from which an escape is desired to be made. It will be understood that the mechanism will be arranged so that the escape may be readily drawn upward as desired.

Through the medium of the two screw-eyes or rings f and b the rapidity of the descent ofthe person using the escape can be governed and regulated from the ground.

The use and operation of my improved escape is as follows: The thumb-screw H is secured down tight, so as to clamp the rope R and hold the escape in a stationary position, and the seat S is then occupied. To descend, the thumb-screw H is unscrewed and the rope allowed to pass through the body of the escape, as hereinbefore set forth. During the descension the lever F and handle B will be grasped by theleft hand and adjusted by pressure to regulate the rapidity of descent. When it is desired to stop the downward movement entirely, thescrew H is tightened and the rope R firmly clamped. The hinged connection of the two sides A allows the ready insertion of the rope R over and between the block 0 and pulleys D, as will be readily understood.

I do not wish to limit the use of my device.

to fire-escapes, as the same may be employed for other purposes,'if so desired.

The novelty and utility of my improved device being obviously apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

Many minor changes could be made in the construction of the parts of my improvement without in the least departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with the sides A, one of which has a handle, B, formed therewith, as set forth, and is provided with the rollers, the bracket arms E and the lever F, substantially as described. 7 1

2. In combination with the body A, having the handle B, the lever F, the rollers in the body, the ropes, and the thumb -screw H, mounted as set forth,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the sides A, hinged together, as set forth, and supporting the pulleys D and stationary block 0, the lever F, and rope R, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the body formed in sections which are hinged together, one of which has a handle, B, the pulleys D, the stationary block 0, the bracket-arm E, the lever F, having the upper enlarged portion, F, the thumb-screw H, and the rope R, substantially as described. t

5. The combination, with the lever F and handle B, of the thumb'screw H, the nut O, the apertured block T, and the screws N, substantially as described.

6. The combinationof the body-sections A, separably hinged together, as set forth, one of which has 9. depending handle, B, and a rear aperture, a, the pulleys, the stationary block 0, the bracketarm E, the lever F, having the upper enlarged portion F, the thumb-screw H, the rope R, having a hook, M, secured to its upper end, the rope R, and the scat S, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the separable hinged sectional body A, one section of which has a depending handle, B, the bracket-arm E, the

lever F, having a slot, f, therethrough, the M screw H, the eyes f and 12*, secured, respecti-vely, to the lever F and handle B, and the rope R, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORRY HUSTED HOLDRIDGE.

\Vitnesses:

F. A. SAWYER, EDWARD M. RIGGS. 

